PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Uulce   University 


Kare  Dooks 


GOD  SOVEREIGN, 


A.^TI>  M^^T  FREE 


A  DISCOURSE. 


BY  REV.  J.  W.  TUCKER. 

5*' 

s 

FAYETTE  VILLE: 
PRINTED  AT  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  OFFICE. 

J- 


C  Tit 


GOD  SOVEREIGN,  AND  MAN  FREE. 


"  The  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee :  the  remainder  of  wrath  ehalt  thou  re- 
strain."—Psalm  76 :  10. 

Our  happiness  and  sense  of  security  depends  of  necessity  upon 
our  faith  in  God — his  wisdom,  knowledge,  power,  goodness,  truth 
righteousness  and  love. 

We  must  believe  in  these  as  active  perfections ;  as  attributes 
revealed  in  nature  and  working  in  providence.  Without  such 
faith  in  God,  his  perfections  and  providence,  man  must  feel  in- 
secure and  unhappy. 

We  feel  our  own  dependence,  our  own  helplessness,  our  own 
sin,  sorrow  and  guilt.  We  dare  not  trust  in  our  own  strength 
for  security,  in  our  own  wisdom  for  direction,  nor  in  our  own 
righteousness  for  justification.  Then  to  whom  shall  we  go — in 
whom  shall  we  trust  in  the  hour  of  trial,  danger  and  peril,  if  not 
in  God  and  his  ever  watchful  and  all  controlling  providence ! 
We  know  that  our  fellow-men  are  ignorant,  weak  and  wicked. 
They  know  not  what  to  do  for  us,  and  if  they  did  know  what  to 
do  for  us,  they  have  not  the  power  to  perform  it ;  and  even  if 
they  had  the  wisdom  to  plan,  and  the  power  to  execute,  they 
have  not  the  disposition  to  exercise  these  powers  for  our  good. 
Human  strength  is  weakness,  human  might  is  feebleness,  human 
wisdom  is  ignorance,  human  constancy  is  fickleness.  How  then 
can  we  commit  ourselves  unreservedly  to  the  keeping  of  our  fel- 
low-men ? 

There  is  no  safety  nor  security  but  in  God  and  his  providence. 
But  faith  in  providence  in  order  to  be  satisfying  roust  be  rational 
and  intelligent.  We  must  know  the  grounds  of  it.  We  must 
have  a  reason  for  it.  To  present  the  rational  grounds  of  our 
faith  in  God's  providence  is  the  design  of  this  discussion. 


No  theory  of  providence  is  either  rational  or  consistent  which 
does  not  recognize  God's  sovereignty  over  man  and  his  actions, 
Hainan  intelligence  is  the  most  tremendous,  as  well  as  the  most 
l1  element  of  power  in  the  universe.     It  is  in  the  results  of 
its  action,  as  wide  as  infinity,  as  enduring  as  eternity,  as  high  as 
en  and  as  deep  as  hell.     It  touches  every  interest,  and  runs 
unifications  and  relations  of  society.     It  crosses 
the  track  of  the  divine  government  in  a  hundred  thousand  dif- 
With  these  facts  before  us,  it  is  a  self-evident 
osition,  that  if  this  tremendous  clement  of  physical,  intellec- 
tual and  moral  power,  which  is  ever  and  everywhere  active,  is 
exempt  from  the  control  of  God's  providence,  that  practically  he 
has  no  providence. 

The  question  then  which  naturally  presents  itself  for  our  con- 
sideration, at  this  point  of  the  discussion,  is  this  :  Is  God  in  his 
providence  eovereign-£>ver  man  and  his  actions  ?  Does  he  so 
govern  man  as  to  make  his  thoughts,  volitions,  purposes,  words, 
and  actions,  all  subservient  to  the  great  central  purpose  of  his 
providence,  and  instrumental  in  the  attainment  of  the  great  end 
of  his  government?  These  questions  I  unhesitatingly  answer  in 
the  affirmative. 

The  truth  of  this  proposition  is  evident : 

1.  From  man's  absolute  dependence  upon  God.     Man  is  as 

absolutely  dependent  upon  God  as  any  other  part  of  his  creation. 

is  evident  because  he  is  as  much  a  creature  of  God  as  any 

other  being  in  the  universe.     God  is  as  much  the  cieator  of  man, 

in  his  body,  spirit,  and  soul,  as  he  is  of  any  other  creature.     He 

is  as  much  the  creator  of  mind  as  of  matter ;  and  from  this  it  is 

evident  that  the  one  is  just  as  much  dependent  upon  him  as  the 

other.     As  man  is  as  much  dependent  upon  God  as  any  other 

iqn  of  his  material  and  rational  creation,  it  follows  that  he 

can  control  man — his  body  and  soul,  his  thoughts  and  feelings, 

his  purposes  and  actions,  as  easily  as  be  can  control  the  warring 

;ent8  of  the  material  universe.     This  necessarily  results  from 

man's  nature,  as  a  derived  and  dependent  being,  and  from  his 

relation  to  God  as  his  creator. 

This  being  the  case,  or  this  fact  being  admitted,  (and  we  pre- 
sume no  one  will  deny  it,)  it  follows  that  God  has  control  of  man, 
or  he  has  control  of  nothing — that  his  providence  embraces  man, 
or  he  has  no  providence — that  he  governs  man  or  he  does  not 


govern  anything.  "We  must  admit  that  God's  government  is 
universal  and  embraces  the  realms  of  both  mind  and  matter,  or 
to  be  logically  consistent,  must  deny  all  provideuce  and  assume 
that  the  universe  is  without  a  government  and  man  without  a 
God. 

If  God  is  man's  creator — if  he  made  man — soul  and  body,  in- 
tellect and  will,  passions  and  affections,  can  he  not  control  him  ? 
Can  he  not  govern  the  nature  he  made  ?  Can  he  not  influence 
the  spirit  he  gave  ?  Can  he  not  move  the  heart  he  created  ? 
Can  he  not  subdue  and  control  the  will  he  called  into  being  ? 
Can  he  not  teach  and  educate  the  intellect  which  he  produced  ? 
Certainly  no  rational  mind  can  question  God's  ability,  as  man's 
creator,  to  govern  and  control  him.  God  could  not  make  a  being 
equal  to  or  greater  than  himself.  An  effect  cannot  be  greater 
than  its  producing  cause.  But  man  to  be  above  the  divine  con- 
trol must  be  greater  than  God  and  independent  of  him.  This  as 
a  creature  he  cannot  be. 

2.  God's  providence  must  of  necessity  be  over  man  as  well  as 
other  parts  of  his  creation.  What  security  would  providence 
afford  to  us,  if  it  only  saved  us  from  physical  evils  ?  If  it  only 
protected  us  from  storms  and  tempests,  eai  thquakes  and  volcauoes, 
thunder-bolts  and  lightning-strokes,  poisonous  serpents  and  beasts 
of  prey,  and  then  turn  us  over  defenceless  and  without  protection 
to  the  malice,  rage,  hate  and  revenge  of  wicked  men  and  devils  ?  If 
God's  providence  can  do  no  more  for  us  than  save  us  from  a  few 
physical  evils,  then  we  say  that  for  all  practical  purposes  we  had 
as  well  be  without  any  providence.  Nearly  all  the  evils  we  suf- 
fer are  brought  on  us  by  our  fellow  men.  From  whence  does 
war,  pestilence  and  famine  come  ?  Principally  from  man.  From 
whence  does  poverty,  bankruptcy,  derangement  in  business,  in- 
jury to  character,  to  fortune  and  fame  come?  From  man. 
From  whence  does  injustice,  oppression,  persecution  and  decep- 
tion come  ?  From  man.  From  what  source  do  we  fear,  and  at 
whose  hands  do  we  suffer  fraud,  robbery,  murder,  rapine  and 
blood  ?  At  the  hands  of  men.  If  providence  does  not  protect 
us  from  evil  men  and  the  results  of  their  action,  it  affords  us  but 
little  protection.  Bat  Q  id  cannot  control  physical  nature  so  as 
to  protect  us  from  temporal  evils,  unit  itroli  man.     Man 

certainly  has  very  great  power  over,  and  very  I  8  control 

of  the  elements  and  powers  of  the  physical  cratti  1L     By  his 


Q 

arts,  science,  commerce,  and  agriculture,  he  has  changed  the 
lace  of  nature,  and  called  all  her  elements  into  his  service. 
Soil,  climate,  rocks,  waters,  woods,  metals,  minerals,  rivers, 
oceans,  seas,  winds,  lightnings,  vegetables,  animals  are  all  under 
his  control.  The  only  way  then  in  which  God  can  control  physi- 
cal nature  so  as  to  protect  us  from  physical  evils  is  to  control 
man. 

But  most  of  our  blessings  come  to  us  through  our  fellow  men. 
Our  food,  raiment,  homes,  education,  arts,  science,  law,  govern- 
ment, literature,  religion,  are  all  given  us  by  human  agency  and 
instrumentality.  Now  if  God  does  not  control  man  in  giving  us 
these  blessings,  we  are  indebted  to  man  for  them  and  not  to  God. 
They  are  man's  blessings  and  not  God's.  We  should  feel  grate- 
ful to  man  for  them,  and  return  our  thanks  to  man  and  not  to 
God.  So  unless  God  has  control  of  man,  his  providence  not  only 
fails  to  protect  us  from  the  evils  and  defend  uq  against  the  dan- 
gers of  life,  but  it  fails  to  bestow  upon  us  the  blessings  we  pos- 
sess and  enjoy. 

Even  spiritual  blessings  and  divine  influence  upon  the  race 
have  come  through  men.  The  Bible  was  given  by  men.  The 
Saviour  came  by  man's  agency.  The  gospel  is  preached  by 
men.  The  church  is  constituted  of  men.  So  unless  God  con- 
trols men,  he  is  shut  out  from  the  spiritual  as  well  as  the  material 
world.  His  influence  is  unfeit,  his  agency  is  unknown.  God 
must  control  men,  or  actually  and  practically  there  is  to  us  no 
God  in  the  world  nor  in  the  church.  Thus  does  the  theory  that 
man  is  exempt  from  the  divine  control  drive  directly  to  practical 
atheism. 

3.  We  feel  that  God  can  control  man,  and  is  sovereign  over 
him  in  his  providence.  This  is  an  intuition  of  our  natures.  Our 
sense  of  security  in  seasons  of  danger  and  circumstances  of  peril, 
affords  evidence  of  this.  We  live  among  men  exposed  to  their 
hated  and  revenge,  and  feel  secure  and  safe.  Why  do  we  do 
this  ?  It  is  because  we  feel  that  God  is  sovereign  over  man, 
however  we  may  deny  it  in  our  philosophical  and  theological 
theories. 

We  ask  God  to  control  men,  and  this  we  certainly  would  not 
do  unless  we  felt  assured  that  he  could  do  it.  When  we  pray 
for  peace — when  we  ask  Him  to  prevent  war — what  do  we  do 
but  ask  him  to  control  men  ? 


When  we  pray  to  him  to  bless  our  land  and  nation,  to  direcS 
those  who  are  in  authority  over  us,  to  govern  in  the  making  of 
our  laws  and  in  the  administration  of  our  government,  do  we  not 
ask  God  to  control  the  thoughts,  purposes,  volitions  and  acts  of 
men  ?  Can  what  we  ask  be  accomplished  without  such  control  ? 
Evidently  not.  When  we  thus  address  God,  unless  we  believe 
that  he  can  and  will  thus  control  men's  thoughts,  feelings,  pur- 
poses, passions  and  actions,  we  insult  him  by  asking  him  to  do 
what  we  believe  he  has  no  power  to  do. 

We  ask  God  to  control  men  whenever  we  ask  him  to  make 
them  better,  to  make  them  penitent,  to  convict  them  of  sin,  to 
convert,  to  renew,  to  sanctify  them.  In  this  we  ask  God  to  ex 
ercise  over  men  tremendous  control.  We  ask  him  to  change 
man '8  whole  nature,  to  influence  his  intellect,  thoughts,  judg- 
ment, memory,  will,  affections,  conscience,  passions,  emotions, 
habits  and  acts.  Do  we  really  ask  God  to  do  this  without  be- 
lieving he  has  the  power  to  do  it  ?  Certainly  no  sane  man  could 
thus  pray  to  God  without  having  faith  in  his  ability  to  do  all  that 
he  asked  him  to  do.  Such  a  petition  without  faith  in  God's 
ability  to  answer  it,  would  be  an  insult  to  God,  mockery  before 
heaven,  and  religious  trifling  before  the  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth.     Certainly  no  man  of  piety  could  do  this. 

4.  "We  have  the  evidence  of  experience  in  proof  of  our  pro- 
position, that  God  can  control  man.  Every  man  feels  conscious 
of  his  dependence  upon  God.  The  power  to  live,  to  think,  to 
feel,  to  love,  to  resolve,  to  determine,  to  act,  comes  from  God. 
It  is  absurd  to  say  that  God  sustains  us,  preserves  us,  keeps  us 
in  being,  and  upholds  us  from  day  to  day,  and  then  deny  that  he 
has  power  to  control  us  in  our  purposes  and  actions. 

The  entire  doctrine  of  divine  influence  is  based  upon  God's 
ability  to  control  men.  This  divine  influence  over  man's  actions, 
thoughts,  feelings,  volitions  was  experienced  by  the  Prophets 
and  Apostles,  who  wrote  and  spoke  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  They  throught,  felt,  willed  and  acted  under  divine 
inspiration.  God's  spiritual  influence  controlled  intellect,  affec- 
tions and  will.  If  he  could  thus  control  one  man,  then  may  he 
thus  control  all  men. 

The  experience  of  men  who  have  been  awakened,  converted, 
and  regenerated,  indicates  God's  power  to  control  men.  Their 
wills  have  been  subdued,  their  affections  elevated,  their  conscien- 


ces  quickened,  their  intellects  enlighted  and  their  natures  re- 
newed by  God.  God  has  control  of  their  entire  physical,  intel- 
lectual, moral  and  spiritual  natures.  Their  thoughts,  desires, 
ends,  aims,  objects,  purposes,  plans,  and  acts  in  life  are  all  gov- 
erned by  divine  influence.  This  is  evident  from  experience.  Can 
any  one  question  God's  ability  to  control  the  actions  of  men, 
when  it  is  thus  clearly  evident  from  the  experience  of  the  whole 
christian  world  that  he  does  it  ?  Have  not  the  worst  men  thus 
been  brought  under  divine  influence,  and  have  been  made  sub- 
ject to  the  divine  control  ?  All  good  men  were  once  in  a  state 
of  rebellion  against  God  ;  and  the  impulse  ot  obedience  did  not 
originate  with  them,  but  it  was  produced  in  their  hearts  by  divine 
influence.  Now  if  God  thus  controls  the  whole  christian  world 
as  is  evident  from  experience,  why  may  he  not  thus  control  all 
men  ?  There  is  nothing  in  the  nature  and  constitution  of  good 
men  to  make  them  subject  to  the  divine  control,  that  is  not  in 
the  nature  and  constitution  of  all  other  men.  They  were  all 
alike  depraved.  All  have  the  same  physical  natures.  Then 
why  is  divine  control  possible  with  some  men,  while  as  is  as- 
sumed by  those  who  oppose  us,  that  such  control  of  other  men 
is  an  impossibility  even  with  God  ?  To  say  that  some  men  yield 
to  divine  influence  does  not  meet  the  difficulty.  Why  do  they 
yield  %  They  do  not  yield  in  willing  obedience  to  God,  until 
God  works  in  them  to  will  and  to  do  of  His  own  good  pleasure. 
It  is  then  and  not  before,  that  they  become  willing  co-workers 
with  God.  God's  people  are  thus  made  "  a  willing  people  in 
the  day  of  His  power." 

5.  That  God  has  control  of  the  actions  of  men  is  evident  from 
historical  facts.  The  result  of  the  conduct  of  Joseph's  brethren 
in  selling  him  into  bondage  was  purposed  by  God,  and  He  over- 
ruled all  the  action  of  the  parties,  so  as  to  bring  about  this  re- 
sult. This  result  stands  connected  with  the  preservation  of  Israel, 
the  perpetuity  of  the  Jews,  the  rise  of  the  Prophets,  the  coming 
of  Christ,  and  the  salvation  of  the  world.  God  brought  about 
this  grand  and  glorious  result,  and  he  could  only  do  it  by  having 
control  of  the  means  necessary  for  its  attainment.  These  means 
were  the  purposes  and  actions  of  his  brethern,  and  the  other  in- 
dividuals associated  with  them.  God  Himself  says  that  while 
they  meant  it  for  evil,  He  intended  it  for  good..  He  had  a  pur- 
pose in  the  whole  transaction  very  different  from  theirs,  and  He 


«o  controlled  them  and  their  actions,  that  they  were  made  to  work 
out  the  great  purpose  of  His  Providence,  ia  the  prescr\ 
their  family  and  the  salvation  of  the  race.    This  one  hieto; 
fact  is  conclusive  on  this  subject,  and  it  is  the  o  dy  one  wl 
we  have  space  to  present  in  this  work.     The  Bible  however 
abounds  with  similar  and  equally  striking  facts,  with  which  our 
readers  may  easily  n  od.     Conviction 

must  result  from  a  study  of  this  subject. 

6.  That  God  has  pontrol  of  men,  and  over-ru-.es  their  conduct 
so  as  to  mako  them  work  out  His  purposes  in  providence,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  teaching  of  the  Bible.  "  13  there  evil  in  the  city, 
and  the  Lord  hath  not  done  it  ?"  "  I  form  the  light  and  create 
the  darkness  :  I  make  peace  and  create  evil :  I  the  Lord  do  all 
these  things."  "All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God :  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  His  purp 

"  Christ  is  made  head  over  all  things  to  the  Church."  "  In  Him 
we  live,  move  and  have  our  being."  "  In  all  thy  ways  acknow- 
ledge Him,  and  He  shall  direct  thy  paths."  "  He  worketh  every 
thing  according  to  the  counsel  of  His  own  will."  "The  king's 
heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  He  turneth  it  as  the  rivers 
of  water,- whithersoever  He  will." — Proverbs  21 :  1.  :i  A  man's 
heart  diviseth  hiB  way,  but  the  Lord  directeth  his  steps."— Prov. 
16:  0.  "Man's  goings  are  of  the  Lord,  how  can  a  man  then 
understand  his  own  way  ?"— Prov.  20 :  21.  "  I  know  that  the 
way  of  man  is  not  in  himself,  it  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to 
direct  his  steps."— Jer.  10 :  23.  "  When  a  man's  ways  please 
the  Lord,  He  maketh  even  his  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  him."' 
— Prov.  16:  1.  "The  wrath  ol  man  shall  praise  thee  and  the 
iemainder  of  wrath  ehalt  thou  restrain."  "There  are  v 
devices  in  a  man's  heart  nevertheless,  the  counsel  of  the  Lord, 
that  shall  stand."— Prov.  194  21.  These  passages  of  Scripture 
conclusively  prove,  that  God  in  His  Providence,  controls  man's 
actions  so  as  to  make  them  subserve  his  purpose  in  the  salvation 
of  the  racei 

7.  The  doctrine  taught  in  this  Sermon,  is  al  by  all 
the  standard  writers  of  the  Methodist  Church.      Benson 
states  his  opinion  on  this  so                                                     1,J  then*- 
salves  and  their  counsels  together.               LefoUfl  them  when  he 
pleases.     Tims  foe  passes  from  the  work  of  creation  to  the  w< 

of  providence,  and  from  instances  of  hia  power 


10 

irrational  creatures,  to  his  power  in  overruling  the  thoughts  r 
wills,  and  actions  of  men,  whether  single  or  united." — Com.  vol. 
pp,  715. 

Arminius  states  :  "  Besides  this,  1  place  in  subjection  to  divine 
providence,  both  the  free-will  and  actions  of  a  rational  creature, 
so  that  nothing  can  be  done  without  the  will  of  God,  not  even 
any  of  those  things  which  are  done  in  opposition  to  it." — Works 
vol.  1,  pp.  251. 

Wesley  states :  "  And  to  God  all  things  are  possible;  he  doeth 
whatsoever  pleaseth  him  in  heaven,  in  earth,  and  in  the  sea,  and 
all  deep  places,  and  we  cannot  doubt  of  his  exerting  all  his 
power,  as  in  sustaining  so  in  governing  all  he  has  made.  Only 
he  that  can  do  all  things,  cannot  deny  himself,  he  cannot  con- 
tradict himself.  Were  it  not  for  this  he  would  destroy  all  sin  with 
its  attendant  pain  in  a  moment." — Sermons  vol.  2,  pp.  102-103. 

Again,  he  states,  further :  "  God  acts  in  heaven,  in  earth,  and 
under  the  earth,  tkrongh  the  whole  compass  of  his  creation,  by 
sustaining  all  things,  *  *  *  without  which  every  thing  would 
in  an  instant  sink  into  its  primitive  nothing ;  by  governing  all 
every  moment,  superintending  all  he  has  made ;  strongly  and 
swiftly  influencing  all,  and  yet  without  destroying  the  liberty  of 
his  rational  creatures." — Sermons  vol.  2,  pp.  412. 

"  Do  not  all  men  know  that  whatsoever  evil  befalls  them,  it 
befalls  them  either  by  God's  permission,  or  by  his  appointment^ 
And  that  he  designs  eyery  evil  ot  this  life  to  warn  men  to  avoid 
still  greater  evils.  And  of  every  such  evil  we  may  say  that  the 
Lord  hath  done  it  either  by  his  own  immediate  power,  by  the 
strength  of  his  own  right  hand,  or  by  commanding  or  else  by 
suffering  it  to  be  done  by  those  of  his  servants  that  do  his  pleas- 
ure. Not  only  his  blessed  angels,  but  all  things  serve  him  in  all 
places  of  his  dominion.  Those  wicked  spirits  which  rule  the  dark- 
ness of  this  we  Id,  and  those  men  who  are  like  them,  he  rules  by 
constraint.  The  senseless  and  brute  parts  of  creation  by  nature, 
and  those  who  are  like  God  by  choice.  But  however  it  be,  with 
or  without  their  own  choice,  they  all  act  in  obedience  to  his 
will.  *  *  *  Then  at  least  we  are  to  acknowledge  the  hand 
of  God  in  whatever  instruments  he  makes  use  of.  It  makes  little 
difference,  whether  he  executes  his  purpose  by  the  power  of 
heaven  or  hell,  or  by  the  mistakes,  carelessness  or  malice  of 
men.    *    *    *    If  bad  mou  distress  one  or  more  of  their  fellow 


11 

creatures,  the  ungodly  are  a  sword  of  his.  *  *  *  The  Lord 
God  Omnipotent  still  reigneth ;  and  all  things  are  subject  unto 
him,  that  his  will  must  be  done,  whether  we  agree  to  it  or  not." 
— Sermons  vol.  2,  pp.  525. 

Clark  say 8  :  "  But  in  so  complicate  a  system  of  the  universe, 
where  a  multitude  of  particular  and  special,  as  well  as  general 
ends  are  to  be  accomplished,  not  only  a  preserving,  but  a  special- 
ly directing  power  must  be  in  continual  activity.  Hence  the 
need  of  what  we  call  providence,  or  in  other  words,  God's  plan 
of  governing  the  universe,  and  influencing,  and  directing  all 
subaltern  or  secondary  agents,  so  that  they  may  accomplish  his 
gracious  designs." — Sermons  vol.  2,  pp.  29. 

Watson  states :  "  The  providence  of  God  is  implied  in  his  very 
existence  as  an  intelligent  creator ;  and  imports,  not  only  an  ab- 
stract foresight  of  all  possible  events,  but  such  a  predisposition 
of  causes,  and  effects,  such  an  adjustment  of  means  and  ends,  as 
seems  to  us  to  exclude  all  contingency  of  human  actions." — 
Dictionary,  pp.  792. 

Fletcher  states  :  "  God  permitted,  not  ordered  sin,  because  he 
both  would  and  could  over-rule  it,  to  the  glorious  display  of  sev- 
eral of  his  attributes,  which  must  otherwise  have  remained  un- 
known to,  and  ungloriiied  by*  hiH  creatures." — Works,  pp.  426. 

II.  We  will  now  proceed  to  sViwthat  the  divine  control  of 
man's  actions  is  not  in  conflict  with  his  liberty  and  responsibility. 

1.  This  is  evident  from  the  experience  of  all  good  men.  The 
experience  of  every  good  man,  affords  conclusive  proof  that  God 
controls  some  men  in  perfect  harmony  with  their  largest  rational 
liberty.  It  is  under  this  divine  controlling  influence  that  they 
attain  their  highest  moral  and  spiritual  freedom.  If  he  may 
thus  control  some  men  in  perfect  harmoney  with  their  moral 
freedom,  without,  in  any  way,  destroying  or  impairing  their 
liberty  of  action,  as  he  evidently  does  ;  why  may  he  not  thus 
control  all  men  ?  What  is  there  in  the  nature,  constitution  and 
circumstances  of  other  men,  besides  the  good,  to  prevent  the 
divine  control  of  their  action,  without  deRtroying  their  freed. 
Unless  it  can  be  shown,  that  there  is  a  radical  difference  in  the 
natures,  constitutions,  and  powers  of  men,  it  must  be  evident  to 
every  reflecting  mind  that  whatever  divine  control,  that  is  t 
sisteut  with  the  freedom  of  some  men,  must  be  consistent  with 
the   freedom  of  all   men.     Experience  proves  that  God   doet 


1L' 

govern  some  men  in  harmony  with  their  freedom  of  action, 
is  therefore  evident  that  he  may  thus  control  all  men. 

Men  control  their  fellow-men  in  harmony  with  their  liberty 
of  action,  as  free  moral  agents,  why  may  not  God  do  it  ?    In 
every  family,  in  every  home,  in  every  community,  under  al 
formB  of  government,  in  every  legislative  body,  in  every  popular 
assembly,  men  are  controlled,  changed,  moved,  acted  upon  byT 
their  fellow-men,  without  having  their  freedom  impaired.    Every 
man  acts  more  or  leas  under  this  influence.    If  man  may  thus 
control  his  fellow-men  in  harmony  with  their  freedom,  liberty 
and  responsibility,  why  may  not  God  do  it  ?    Has  man  more  in- 
fluence over  men  than  God  has?    Is  man  able  to  do  that  which 
God  is  powerless  to  perform  ?    Is  that  possible  with  man,  which 
is  impossible  with  God  ?     Certainly  no  one  will  question  God's 
ability  to  influence,  govern,  and  control  men  without  infringing 
their  moral  freedom,  when  they  see  men  doing  this  every  day, 
in  every  home  and  family  ?    Men  have  no  way  of  access  to  men 
that  is  not  open  to  God.     He  has  intelligence  by  which  he  can 
reach  man's  intellect,  and  love  by  which  he  can  move  man's 
heart ;  then  why  should  man  be  open  to  influence  from  men,  and 
and  not  open  to  influence  from  God  ? 

3.  Human  governments  control  their  subjects,  in  their  various 
avocationB,  persuits,  callings,  professions,  and  interests  in  harm- 
ony with  their  moral  liberty  and  responsibility ;  why  may  not 
the  divine  government  do  the  same?  Human  laws,  human 
authority,  and  State  sovereignty  and  rule,  are  perfectly  compat- 
ible with  the  largest  rational  liberty  of  the  subjects  of  govern- 
ment. This  we  all  feel.  This  every  good  citizen  knows.  This 
the  history  of  the  world  proves.  This  the  experience  of  the 
race  confirms.  Now  why  may  not  the  divine  government  work 
in  as  perfect  harmony  with  human  liberty  and  responsibility  as 
human  governments  do  ?  What  difficulty  is  there  in  the  one 
case,  that  is  not  in  the  other  ?  Has  not  God  as  much  wisdom  to 
adapt  his  government  to  man's  nature,  as  man  has  to  adapt  his  % 
Is  not  God  as  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  wants  of  man, 
as  man  is  with  the  nature  and  wants  ot  his  fellow-men  ?  Why 
then  may  not  God  govern  man,  without  impairing  his  moral  free- 
dom, as  easily  as  man  does  it?  Certainly  no  rational  mind  can 
question  for  a  moment,  the  ability  of  God  to  do  what  he  admits 
man  is  doing  every  day. 


I 

4.  We  pray  every  clay  for  God  to  govern  ana  control  nion  in 
harmony  with  tbeir  freedom  and  responsibility.  When  we  ask 
God  to  guide  and  direct  our  fellow  men  in  the  path  of  duty, 
v'len  we  pray  to  him  to  give  man  a  better  heart,  to  change  his 
purpose  of  wickedness,  to  humble  his  pride  aud  elevate  his  affec- 
tions, we  certainly  ask  him  to  govern  man,  but  we  do  not  ask 
him  to  destroy  his  moral  freedom  and  liberty  of  action.  We 
never  think  of  his  doing  that.  We  pray  for  him  to  do'  this  in 
harmony  with  man'6  liberty.  We  expect  him  to  do  it.  Do  we 
ask  God  thus  to  govern,  influence  and  control  men  without  be- 
lieving that  he  has  the  ability  to  do  it  ? 

Our  daily  petitions  show  that  we  feel  conscious  that  such  divine 
control  ;s  consistent  with  human  freedom  and  responsibility.  If 
we  did  not  feel  assured  of  this,  we  would  not  thus  pray.  Is  it 
probable  that  in  this  conviction  we  are  deceived  and  in  error  ? 
This  cannot  be.  The  conviction  is  too  strong,  universal  and  con- 
stant in  its  influence  to  be  deceptive  and  erroneous. 

But  it  is  urged  that  in  thus  addressing  God  there  are  always 
conditions  either  expressed  or  implied.  If  so  the  conditions  have 
reference  to  the  will,  purpose,  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  and 
not  to  the  state  and  condition  of  man.  We  never  think  of  pray- 
ing God  to  change  man's  heart  if  he  is  willing  it  should  be 
changed,  to  awaken  the  sinner  it  he  is  anxious  to  be  awakened, 
to  make  him  penitent  if  he  earnestly  desires  to  be  made  peni- 
tent. No  rational  mind  would  be  guilty  of  such  folly.  We  ask 
God  to  bless  men  and  give  them  better  hearts,  without  any  refer- 
ence to  their  willingness  to  be  blessed.  We  all  understand  if 
man  is  ever  willing  to  do  good,  it  is  when  God  has  made  him 
willing  by  the  influence  of  the  divine  Spirit.  Are  we  guilty  of 
the  insincerity  of  asking  God  every  day  to  do  that  which  we 
think  he  has  no  ability  to  do  ?  If  not,  we  must  admit  that  God 
can  control  man  in  perfect  harmony  with  his  moral  liberty  and 
responsibility,  because  we  are  constantly  asking  him  to  do  it. 
There  is  really  no  conflict  between  God's  sovereignty  and  man's 
freedom.  If  there  was  the  co-existence  of  two  beings,  each  en- 
dowed with  liberty  of  action,  the  one  infinite  aud  the  other  finite, 
this  would  be  impossible.  But  God  and  man  do  co-exist,  both 
are  free,  and  there  is  evidently  no  conflict  between  the  sovereignty 
of  God  and  the  liberty  and  responsibility  of  man. 

Suppose  we  are  unable  to  see  aud  understand,  how  it  is  that 


M 

God's  controlling  influence  agrees  with  human  freedom,  that  dotes 
not  prove  it  is  not  true.  There  are  a  great  many  things  which 
we  know  to  be  true,  which  we  cannot  understand.  Mystery  is 
no  evidence  of  untruth.  "We  cannot  comprehend  the  mode  of 
God's  existence.  Our  own  natures  are  incomprehensible  to  us. 
We  do  not  understand  the  mysterious  union  of  matter  and  spirit, 
soul  and  body.  But  we  never  think  of  calling  in  question  our 
own  existence  and  the  existence  of  God  as  our  Creator,  because 
we  connot  comprehend  that  which  to  man  is  incomprehensible. 
"Why  then  should  we  deny  the  possible  co-existence  of  God's 
sovereignty  and  man's  free  agency,  because  the  manner  of  such 
co-existence  is  incomprehensible  to  us  ?  "We  should  expect  it  to 
be  incomprehensible,  because  all  God's  relations  to  us  are  incom- 
prehensible. Mystery  cannot  be  seperated  from  God's  works 
and  ways.  The  reason  is,  that  the  finite  mind  of  man  cannot 
comprehend  the  infinite. 

8.  But  while  the  mode  of  the  divine  control  of  man's  actions  is 
confessedly  mysterious,  there  are  several  conceivable  methods  in 
which  this  control  may  be  exercised  over  man,  without  conflicting 
with  his  freedom  of  action. 

1.  It  may  be  accomplished  by  direct  divine  influence.  Matter 
acts  upon  matter,  mind  acts  upon  mind,  thought  acts  upon 
thought,  passion  fires  passion,  heart  moves  heart,  will  subdues 
will,  man  influences  man.  May  not  God's  Spirit  thus  come  in 
■contact  with  man's  spirit,  God's  mind  thus  influence  man's 
mind,  and  God's  will  thus  control  man's  will.  This  God  evi- 
dently does  when  he  becomes  the  indwelling  life  of  the  good 
man,  and  why  should  he  not  in  some  such  way  check,  restrain, 
direct,  control  and  govern  all  men,  by  suggesting  new  thoughts) 
awakening  their  fears,  quickening  their  consciences,  and  working 
in  perfect  harmony  with  their  whole  natures,  intellectual,  emo- 
tional and  voluntary.  Such  a  process  of  divine  control  would 
in  no  way  conflict  with  man's  conscious  freedom  of  action. 

2.  God  may  thus  govern  man  by  motives.  It  is  the  nature  of 
moral  freedom  to  be  governed  by  motives.  It  is  the  law  of 
rational  liberty  not  to  act  without  motives.  Man  is  influenced 
by  motives.  Motives  arise  from  circumstances.  God  may 
arrange  the  circumstances,  and  thus  by  controlling  the  motives 
control  the  man.  In  this  way  God,  by  revealing  his  character, 
may  address  man's  whole  nature,  and  reach  his  will  by  every 


avenue  of  approach.  His  holiness  appeals  to  man's  conscience,, 
his  goodness  to  man's  gratitude,  his  love  to  man's  heart,  his 
promises  of  reward  to  man's  hopes,  his  threats  of  punishment  to 
man's  fear,  the  grandeur  of  his  character  to  man's  reverence,  the 
beauty  of  his  character  to  man's  love  cf  the  divinely  beautiful. 
Does  it  destroy  man's  freedom,  for  his  conscience  to  be  governed 
by  a  sense  ot  right,  for  his  heart  to  be  moved  by  love,  for  his 
gratitude  to  spring  up  under  the  influence  of  goodness,  for  his 
hopes  to  be  awakened  by  promises  of  reward,  and  his  fears  to  be 
quickened  by  threatened  punishment?  It  certainly  does  not.  If 
it  did  there  would  be  no  rational  and  moral  freedom  among 
men,  for  all  are  moved  in  this  way. 

3.  God  may  govern  man  in  harmony  with  his  freedom  and 
responsibility  through  human  instrumentality.  As  he  uses  human 
agency  in  man's  creation,  preservation,  education,  restoration 
and  salvation,  why  not  in  his  government.  All  admit  that  God 
governs  gcod  men  in  harmony  with  their  freedom,  and  if  so  why 
may  he  not  employ  the  good  men  whom  he  thus  governs,  in  the 
government  of  others?  This  is  just  what  God  does.  He  thus 
employed  Paul,  John  and  Peter  in  the  apostolic  age.  He  thus 
used  Luther,  Calvin  and  others  in  the  days  of  the  reformation. 
He  thus  employed  Wesley,  Whitfield  and  Edwards  in  a  later 
age.  He  is  now  using  all  good  men  in  the  same  way.  Does  it 
infringe  a  man's  liberty  to  be  influenced  by  the  teaching,  coun- 
sel, advice  and  example  of  a  good  man  ?  Men  are  not  conscious 
of  losing  their  liberty  when  thus  acting  ;  yet  this  is  one  of  the 
methods  in  which  God  governs  men.  He  employs  human 
agency  in  this  work,  and  men  while  influenced  by  their  fellow 
men  are  governed  and  controlled  by  God. 

4.  God  may  at  times  only  control  the  act,  not  the  agent,  the 
volition  not  the  will,  the  action  not  the  man,  man's  conduct  not 
his  motives.  Liberty  is  in  the  agent,  not  in  the  act,  in  the  will 
not  in  its  volitions,  in  the  man  not  in  his  actions,  in  a  choice  of 
motives,  not  of  conduct.  God  may  control  the  result  of  man's 
actions,  after  they  are  performed,  his  volitions  after  they  are 
made,  and  his  purposes  after  they  are  determined,  without  inter- 
fering at  all  with  the  liberty  of  the  agent,  the  freedom  of  the 
will,  or  the  purity  of  man's  motives.  Man's  free  agency  as  a 
moral  being  consists  in  the  voluntary  action  of  his  will,  and  the 
choice  of  the  motivos  fr^m  which  he  will  act.    With  those  I 


u 

does  not  interfere  so  as  to  control  them  with  either  physical  or 
metaphysical  force.  Men  act  as  they  please,  or  choose  to  act, 
and  therefore  act  freely.  But  after  they  have  acted,  God  takes 
hold  of  the  effects  which  as  causes  they  produce,  and  works  out 
the  all-wise  plans  of  his  providence. 

Man's  responsibility  for  a  wrong  action  holds  good,  though 
God  may  overrule  it  for  the  promotion  of  his  glory,  the  benefit 
of  the  race  and  the  salvation  of  the  world.  This  is  evident,  be- 
cause the  moral  element  of  an  action,  which  determines  its  vir- 
tuous, or  vicious  character,  is  not  in  its  results  but  in  the  mo- 
tive of  the  agent.  If  the  motive  is  a  bad  motive,  the  act  is  a 
wicked  act,  let  its  results  be  what  they  may.  Man  is  not  re- 
sponsible for  the  results  of  his  actions,  for  they  are  not  under  his 
control,  but  for  for  the  motive  from  which  his  actions  spring- 
He  is  free  to  act  from  good  or  bad  motives,  to  live  under  holy 
or  sinful  principles,  and  for  these  he  is  responsible. 

God  may  bring  good  out  of  his  conduct,  but  that  does  not  de- 
tract from  the  criminality  of  his  acts,  if  he  intended  evil. 
The  results  of  man's  conduct  then  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  moral  character  of  his  acts  nor  with  his  own  guilt  or  inno- 
cence as  the  responsible  agent.  These  results  may  reflect  glo- 
glory  on  God's  superintending  providence,  but  no  credit  to  guil- 
ty and  wicked  men. 

III.  We  will  now  proceed  to  show  that  this  sovereign  control 
of  man  is  in  harmony  with  God's  holiness.     ■ 

1.  God  may  will  to  overrule  the  sinful  and  criminal  actions  of 
men  for  good,  without  willing  the  performance  of  such  acts,  or 
the  commission  of  such  crimes.  Just  as  every  good  government 
provides  to  turn  its  criminals  to  account  by  making  them  work 
for  the  public  good,  and  by  making  their  punishment  an  exam- 
ple to  others,  without  willing  that  they  should  become  crimi- 
nals by  the  commission  of  the  crimes  for  which  they  are  punish- 
ed. In  this  way,  crime  is  made  the  occasion  and  punishment 
the  means  of  revealing  the  justice  of  the  government.  Now 
why  should  the  holiness  of  the  divine  government,  any  more 
than  the  holiness  of  a  human  government  be  involved  with  the 
wickedness  of  its  subjects  though  God  like  men  does  in  some 
way  overrule  the  wickedness  of  the  subjects  of  his  government 
for  good  ?  If  man  does  this  we  should  expect  God  to  do  it.  If 
man  can  do  it  without  sin  why  may  not  God  ? 


n 

2.  God  may  will  an  event  without  willing  the  occasion,  that 
calls  it  forth,  though  the  event  may  be  inseparable  from  its  oc- 
casion. He  willed  and  decreed  man's  redemption  without  wil- 
ling hia  fall.  Man  could  not  have  been  redeemed,  had  he  not 
under  temptation  fell.  His  fall  was  the  necessary  occasion  of 
his  redemption.  God  purposed  his  salvation  before  hia  creation, 
but  he  did  not  purpose  his  sin  and  his  fall.  As  a  physician  wills 
a  man's  restoration  to  health,  without  having  purposed  that  he 
should  get  sick ;  though  his  being  sick  ia  the  occasion  of  restor- 
ation. God  often  foresees  man's  sin  and  purposes  certain  re- 
sults of  which  even  man's  wickedness  is  the  necessary  occasion 
or  condition,  without  having  any  way  purposed  the  sin  that  leads 
to  it.  In  such  cases  he  does  not  interpose  to  prevent  the  siu. 
He  leaves  man  to  hia  own  way,  and  then  cauaea  it  to  work  for 
his  glory.  God  is  under  no  obligation  to  man  to  prevent  his  sin, 
and  neithei  the  holiness,  justice  nor  goodness  of  the  divine  gov- 
ernment is  involved  in  his  failure  to  do  it.  Man  has  no  right 
to  complain  if  God  leaves  him  to  his  own  way,  to  work  out  tlh> 
fearful  punishment  of  his  own  crimes,  while  in  his  wisdom  and 
goodness  he  over-rules  his  sins  for  the  advancement  of  his  own 
glory  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  race.  He  thus  made  the  sin  of 
the  first  man  and  woman  the  occasion  for  the  most  perfect  revela- 
tion of  hie  perfectiona  and  character  ever  made  to  men  or  angels, 
and  of  placing  the  race  of  man  in  a  better  condition  and  in  a 
more  gracious  relation  to  God  than  they  were  before  man's 
sin.  It  ia  now  man's  own  fault  "if  he  does  not  levy  a  tax  on  his 
loss  and  rise  by  hia  fall."  The  sin  was  man'a;  of  his  own 
choosing;  for  it  he  ia  responsible;  the  gloiy  of  making  it 
the  occasion  for  the  grandest  display  of  God's  love,  ever 
made  to  the  universe  of  intelligent  beings,  is  all  God's. 
"When  God  thus  bringa  good  out  of  evil,  holiness  out  of  sin,  light 
out  of  darkness,  order  out  of  confusion,  wealth  out  of  poverty,  pros- 
perity out  of  adversity,  joy  out  of  sorrow,  and  glory  out  of  hn- 
miliation,  so  far  is  it  from  reflecting  on  his  holiness,  it  causes  it 
to  shine  forth  with  new  luster  and  glory. 

3.  God  may  decree  that  man  should  perforin  a  certain  act, 
without  decreeing  that  he  should  do  it  from  a  wicked  motive. 
This  is  evident,  because  the  same  act  may  spring  from  very  dif- 
ferent motives.  A  government  may  decree  that  one  of  its  of- 
ficers should  execute  a  crminal,  without  decreeing  tl  al  he  ihonld 


IS 

do  it  from  feelings  of  personal  revenge  and  hate.  It  is  evident 
however,  to  every  reflecting  mind  that  an  officer  of  government 
might  be  prompted  by  such  feelings,  in  executing  a  criminal. 
Should  he  act  from  such  a  motive,  he  would  carry  out  the  de- 
cree of  the  government  as  effectually  as  though  he  acted  from 
a  different  motive,  but  at  the  same  time  he  would  make  himself 
a  murderer  in  the  tyes  of  the  moral  law,  by  the  wicked  motive 
Iroin  which  he  acted.  The  criminality  of  the  act  is  in  the  mo- 
tive; with  this  the  government  has  nothing  to  do,  it  only  decreed 
the  act;  for  the  bad  motive  in  which  is  all  the  criminality,  the 
agent  only  is  responsible.  The  Jews  carried  out  the  purpose  of 
God  in  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  but  God  never  decreed  the  mo- 
tive from  which  they  did  it.  This  was  of  their  own  choosing. 
They  might  have  offered  Christ  as  a  sacrifice  to  God,  recognizing 
his  divinity  and  Messiahship,  from  a  desire  to  please  God,  and  in 
obedience  to  Christ  himself,  as  Abraham  offered  his  son  Isaac, 
and  as  they  were  in  the  habit  of  offering  their  animal  sacrifices 
to  God,  according  to  the  requirements  of  their  divinely  inspired 
ritual.  Had  they  thus  acted,  they  would  have  been  guilty  of  no 
sin,  though  they  would  not  more  effectually  haye  carried  out 
the  purpose  of  the  divine  government,  as  that  purpose  related 
to  the  work  of  atonement,  than  they  did  in  crucitying  him  from 
feelings  of  hate  and  revenge.  "With  the  bad  motive  from  which 
they  acted,  God's  purpose  had  nothing  to  do ;  for  it  they  only  are 
responsible  ;  and  in  it  is  all  the  sin  of  the  whole  transaction. 
God's  holiness  is  not  implicated,  though  he  caused  the  wrath  of 
man  to  praise  him,  and  caused  the  wickedness  of  the  Jews  to- 
contribute  towards  the  development  of  his  purpose  in  the  sal- 
vation of  the  race.  This  principle  will  apply  to  every  instance 
where  God,  in  his  providence,  has  made  the  sins  of  men  subserve 
the' ends  of  his  government  in  carrying  forward  his  great  pur- 
pose of  salvation.  In  the  light  of  this  principle,  the  whole  sys- 
tem of  God's  government  and  every  act  of  the  divine  adminis- 
tration are  seen  to  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  God's  immaculate 
holiness  and  inflexble  justice.  God  remains  holy  in  his  sove- 
reignty, and  man  free  and  responsible  in  his  sin. 

If  it  be  asked,  if  God  has  control  of  man,  why  it  is  he  does 
not  make  every  man  holy,  we  would  reply  by  asking  other  ques- 
tions. Why  did  God  only  create  man  about  six  thousand  years 
ago  %    After  man's  fall,  why  did  God  wait  four  thousand  years 


19 

before  he  seat  the  Savior  into  the  world  ?  Why  has  he  not  sent 
the  gospel  to  all  nations  ?  Why  does  he  not  prevent  all  sickness, 
pain,  disease,  and  death  ?  Why  does  he  not  make  earth  a  heaven, 
and  men  angels  of  light  ?  Why  does  he  not  make  all  men  pious 
when  they  are  young,  instead  of  delaying  the  work  till  they  get 
old,  many  of  them  ?  Why  does  he  not  shut  the  devil  up  in  hell, 
so  he  cannot  tempt  men  ?  He  could  certainly  do  that.  Why 
does  he  not  take  all  wicked  men  out  of  the  world,  when  they 
will  not  repent,  and  thus  prevent  the  curee  to  society  from  their 
bad  example  and  influence  ?  It  will  not  be  denied  that  he  can 
do  this.  Why  was  he  six  days  in  making  the  world,  when  he 
oould  have  called  it  into  being  by  a  word  $  All  these  questions 
are  equally  as  pertinent  and  rational  as  the  one  asked  by  the 
man  who  does  not  recognize  God's  sovereignty  over  man.  The 
answer  we  give  to  all  is,  we  do  not  know.  God  has  not  told  us. 
It  is  not  important  that  we  should  know.  If  it  was  he  would 
have  revealed  his  reasons.  He  has  not  done  it.  We  must  be 
content  to  wait  until  he  thinks  proper  to  inform  us. 

A  few  practical  inferences  will  close  this  discussion. 

1.  If  God  is  sovereign  we  see  how  it  is  he  can  fulfill  hia  pro- 
mises to  his  people.  He  has  assured  us  in  his  word,  that  all 
things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to 
them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose.  Our  light 
afflictions  which  are  but  for  a  moment  shall  work  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.  He  has  told  us 
that  no  weapon  formed  against  us  shall  prosper  ;  that  he  who 
is  for.  is  greater  than  all  who  can  be  against  us.  It  is  God  who 
is  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth,  who 
is  he  that  condemeth?  Such  are  God's  promises  unto  his  people, 
and  as  a  God  who  is  sovereign  over  all  the  powers  of  heaven, 
earth  and  hell,  he  can  make  these  promises  good,  but  not  oth- 
erwise. He  commands  all  the  powers  and  resources  ot  the  universe. 
Every  element  in  nature,  every  angel  in  heaven,  every  devil  in 
hell,  every  man  upon  earth  is  under  his  control.  All  must  work 
for  him,  if  all  will  not  become  willing  co-workers  with  him. 
All  government,  all  labor,  all  commerce,  all  wars,  all  revolutions, 
all  national  convulsions,  are  in  the  order  of  his  providence  to  l>e 
over-ruled  for  the  advancement  of  his  cause,  the  good  of  his 
people  and  the  glory  of  his  name.     Clouds   and   darkness   are 


20 

round  about  him,  but  justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitations 
of  his  throne.  We  may  not  understand  the  mysteries  of  hie 
providence,  nor  comprehend  the  far  reaching  plana  of  his  ad- 
ministration, but  we  should  feel  assured,  that  goodness  prompts, 
holiness  governs,  wisdom  directs,  and  divine  power  controls  all 
for  our  good  and  God's  glory.  Friends  may  forsake  us,  enemies 
may  rise  up  against  us  ;  evil  may  overtake  us  ;  war  may  desolate 
and  lay  waste  our  country  and  our  homes  ;  our  foes  may  murder 
our  children,  fire  our  dwellings,  and  destroy  our  property,  but 
God,  in  his  providence,  is  above  all,  under  all,  around  all,  and 
within  all ;  his  knowledge  foresaw  all,  his  all-comprehending 
wisdom  directs  all,  and  his  omnipotent  power  will  govern  all, 
with  reference  to  our  best  interests.  We  should  not  be  anxious 
and  fearful  in  reference  to  the  final  result.  God  will  work  it  out 
in  his  own  good  time.  Until  then,  we  must  bow  with  resigna- 
tion to  the  dark  and  mysterious  dispensations  of  his  providence. 

2.  We  see  in  God's  sovereign  control  of  all  things  how  he  can 
answer  our  prayers.  We  pray  for  the  prosperity  of  our  coun- 
try ;  for  the  success  of  our  cause  ;  for  the  triumph  of  our  armies ; 
for  victory  to  perch  upon  our  banners ;  for  the  defeat  of  our 
enemies,  that  their  plans  may  be  defeated,  their  councils  confus- 
ed and  divided,  their  strength  enfeebled,  and  their  armies 
destroyed.  These  are  great  requests.  They  embrace  a  great 
deal.  They  imply,  in  the  being  to  whom  they  are  addressed,  the 
possession  and  exercise  of  infinite  perfections.  They  recognize 
in  him  the  sovereign  control  of  the  universal  empire  of  matter 
and  mind,  life  and  spirit.  They  are  only  reasonable  because 
they  are  addressed  to  the  great  God,  the  universal  sovereign  of 
heaven  and  earth.  He  can  answer  our  petitions,  because  he  has 
sovereign  control  of  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men.  Their  thoughts 
and  feelings,  passions  and  purposes,  words  and  actions,  are  under 
his  direction.  He  can  turn  them  as  he  turns  the  rivers  of  water. 
Then  we  may  go  to  him  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  with  unwaver- 
ing confidence  in  his  promises.  The  battle  is  not  to  the  strong 
nor  the  race  to  the  swift,  but  it  is  in  the  hands  of  the  God  of 
armies,  nations  and  individuals.  We  may  hope  because  "  the 
Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge," 

But  our  petitions  to  God  tor  personal  as  well  as  national  bless- 
ings, for  protection  against  our  spiritual  as  well  as  our  political 
enemies,  are  unmeaning  and  foolish  only  as  they  imply  in  him 


21 

infinite  perfections  and  sovereign  universal  control.  We  pray 
to  him  to  make  us  personally  holy  in  heart  and  life,  to  humble 
our  pride,  subdue  our  rebellion,  to  elevate  our  affections,  to  sanc- 
tify our  natures,  to  fill  us  with  all  the  fulness  of  God,  to  make  us 
strong  in  the  Lord  and  the  power  of  his  might,  to  sanctify  us 
throughout  soul,  body  and  spirit,  to  enable  us  to  do  God's  will 
upon  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.  These  are  great  requests. 
God  to  answer  them  must  have  control  of  the  universe,  of  mind 
as  well  as  the  universe  of  matter.  The  pledge  and  the  promise 
that  they  will  be  answered  is  to  be  found  only  in  God's  sover- 
eignty. It  is  because  God  is  sovereign  over  all  worlds,  all 
spirits,  all  intellects,  all  hearts,  that  he  is  able  to  do  these  great 
things  for  us.  We  feel  assurance  at  the  mercy-seat,  and  a  sense 
of  security  in  the  hour  of  danger,  because  we  feel  that  our  God 
and  Saviour  is  "  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  the  faithful 
and  true  witness,  the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  and  the 
end." 

3.  The  fact  that  God  is  sovereign  and  that  man  is  free,  secures 
to  us  providence  and  moral  government.  If  God  is  not  sovereign, 
then  really  and  practically  we  can  have  no  providence.  There 
can  be  no  divine  control  of  events,  no  divine  protection  of  man, 
no  special  guardian  care  for  his  people,  his  church  and  his  cause, 
if  God  is  not  sovereign  over  mind  as  well  as  matter.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  man  is  not  free  there  can  be  no  moral  government. 
Freedom  and  intelligence  are  the  necessary  conditions  of  respon- 
sibility, and  responsibility  is  the  necessary  condition  of  moral 
government.  If  man  is  not  free,  if  he  cannot  act  as  he  chooses* 
then  he  is  evidently  not  responsible  for  his  actions,  and  if  he  is 
not  responsible  for  his  conduct  he  is  not  a  proper  subject  of 
moral  government ;  and  there  can  be  no  mbral  government  with- 
out proper  subjects  of  moral  control.  It  is  thus  evident  that  if 
you  destroy  God's  sovereignty  you  aie  left  without  a  providence, 
if  you  destroy  human  freedom  you  are  left  without  moral  gov- 
ernment. You  can  only  secure  both,  and  the  benefits,  blessings, 
privileges,  and  immunities  of  both,  by  recognizing  God  as  sov- 
ereign and  man  as  free.  If  God's  sovereignty  and  man's  freedom 
is  in  conflict,  then  providence  and  moral  government  is  in  con- 
flict; if  sovereignty  and  moral  liberty  are  mutually  destructive  of 
each  other,  then  providence  and  moral  government  are  mutually 
destructive   the    one  of  the  other.     Sovereignty  and   freedom 


422 

must  co-exist  and  harmonize,  or  providence  and  moral  govern- 
ment cannot  co-exist  and  harmonize.  With  God  sovereign  we 
can  have  a  providence  without  moral  government,  but  even  if 
we  had  human  freedom  aud  intelligence  without  God's  sovereign 
providence,  we  cou.d  have  no  efficient  moral  government. 
There  might  be  a  moral  law  with  its  penalty,  and  under  moral 
law  there  might  be  responsibility  aud  sin,  but  there  could  be  no 
infliction  of  punishment  on  the  vicious,  nor  bestowal  of  reward 
upon  the  virtuous ;  because  there  would  be  no  sovereign  power 
at  hand  to  do  either.  Without  God's  sovereign  control  of  all 
things,  we  can  have  neither  providence  nor  moral  government* 
What  God  has  joined  together  let  no  man  put  asunder.  God's 
sovereignty  and  man's  freedom  are  two  grand  pillars  that  meet 
in  the  sublime  arch  of  the  divine  government,  which  spans  the 
<earth  with  its  beneficent  protection. 


